paper

How to measure redshift-space distortions without sample variance

arXiv:0810.0323 · doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2009/10/007

Abstract

We show how to use multiple tracers of large-scale density with different biases to measure the redshift-space distortion parameter beta=f/b=(dlnD/dlna)/b (where D is the growth rate and a the expansion factor), to a much better precision than one could achieve with a single tracer, to an arbitrary precision in the low noise limit. In combination with the power spectrum of the tracers this allows a much more precise measurement of the bias-free velocity divergence power spectrum, f^2 P_m - in fact, in the low noise limit f^2 P_m can be measured as well as would be possible if velocity divergence was observed directly, with rms improvement factor ~[5.2(beta^2+2 beta+2)/beta^2]^0.5 (e.g., ~10 times better than a single tracer for beta=0.4). This would allow a high precision determination of f D as a function of redshift with an error as low as 0.1%. We find up to two orders of magnitude improvement in Figure of Merit for the Dark Energy equation of state relative to Stage II, a factor of several better than other proposed Stage IV Dark Energy surveys. The ratio b_2/b_1 will be determined with an even greater precision than beta, producing, when measured as a function of scale, an exquisitely sensitive probe of the onset of non-linear bias. We also extend in more detail previous work on the use of the same technique to measure non-Gaussianity. Currently planned redshift surveys are typically designed with signal to noise of unity on scales of interest, and are not optimized for this technique. Our results suggest that this strategy may need to be revisited as there are large gains to be achieved from surveys with higher number densities of galaxies.

22 pages, 13 figures

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